Page 141 of The Order

“So that's your plan, then? Showing me all the women you’re hooking up with to fuck with my head?”

His eyes are no longer playful.

“I never complained each time I heard your thoughts about wanting Xavier to explore your body. I’d consider what I sent you as pretty tame compared to what I've had to listen to,” he says as he barrels to a stop just a few inches in front of me.

“I never reached out to you when I was with Xavier.”

“Well, then you were thinking of me and unable to put up a wall like the rest of us to stop yourself from broadcasting all your dirty fucking thoughts,” he growls, looking down at me with annoyance.

“How often are you putting up a wall so I don’t hear your thoughts about me?” I question, his head slowly shaking.

He leans down, his nose inches away from my own.

“Maybe I'll stop censoring my thoughts, and you can go as mad as I have,” he whispers, his voice void of any playfulness.

He moves to position himself in front of the bag I’d been hitting. The wall hiding his emotions comes down, and a wave of anger crashes into me. As he hits the bag, a flood of thoughts of Xavier runs rampant down our mental connection.

"Feed into your hate,” he says, his eyes bright as he continues to pummel the bag.

Suddenly, the bag tears away from its hinges, hitting the ground with a loud thud. We both step back from the bag, watching its contents spill onto the dirtied floor. He turns his head toward me, and the walls around his mind go up again, locking me out.

“Anger can be a great motivator,” he says, moving past me.

Grabbing my hand, he guides me closer to one of the mats on the floor, letting go once our feet meet the edge. Standing across from me, he watches me, motioning me to move closer.

Hesitantly, I join him on the mat, his body rigid as he readies himself in a defensive position.

“I've seen you fight in Defense Class,” he starts, my body instinctively moving to match his fighting stance. “Let's see what you can do outside of the classroom, Little Dove.”

Time and time again, Fallan takes me down, pinning me each time with a look of satisfaction. With growing frustration, I try to get away, watching the way he seems to know every single move I make before I have even thought of them. Angrily, I pull myself away from the ground, readying myself to claim defeat once more.

“You look sort of cute when you're frustrated,” he mocks, my anger rising.

“Perhaps I should go wake Valerie and have her beat your ass too.”

“It was Valerie?”

It tried to resurface, but I’ve got all the anger I need right now.

Unable to play nice anymore, I force his leg to the mat with a wave of my hand, watching his wide-eyed expression grow as my leg rises, striking him in the chest with a swift kick. Flying back onto the mat, he raises his hands, ready to use his gifts on me. His silent ability to slip into my mind is much more aggravating at this moment.

I don't give him the opportunity.

Shoving my body atop his own, I place my knees along his arms and at the side of his head, taking away his range of motion. Straddling his chest, I grab his chin, forcing him to stay down as the beast beneath my skin roars.

“I’m starting to see why Xavier is such good fuel for your rage.”

His mouth curls into a smile. A smile I so rarely see. Gradually, he begins raising himself from the mat, moving my body back and onto his lap. We sit up, and his hands come to rest behind my back. My heart races as I adjust my hips, feeling more than just his legs beneath me now, the presence of his cock more noticeable as I continue to reposition myself.

“Your wall is fully down, Little Dove,” he says, his hand pressing my lower back, urging me closer.

“I can hear every sinful thought running through your mind,” he whispers, my face reddening as I try to slip past his wall.

Dragging my hand along his chest, I adjust my hips atop him once more. His wall comes crashing down, and his thoughts of tasting my lips pass through my mind.

“You're getting better,” he whispers, slowly moving me off of him. "Though that thought wasn't yours to have,” he continues helping me up, both of us flustered from being so close to one another.

“So, Blackburn, now that I know what motivates you,” a coy grin lines his face. “Let’s see just how angry I can make you.”

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